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Tommy Bridewell
Bridewell wearing Milwaukee Yamaha colours acknowledging spectators' plaudits for his overall Championship third-place at Brands Hatch Showdown podium, end of BSB 2014 season
Nationality
British
Born
(1988-08-09) 9 August 1988 (age 36) Etchilhampton, Wiltshire, England, UK
During the 2018 season, while competing on a Suzuki GSX-R1000R, his contract was terminated abruptly by his team during practice for the Snetterton Circuit round in June.[2] However in July, after missing two rounds, Bridewell was able to step into the vacant Ducati Panigale seat at Moto Rapido Racing, caused by Taylor Mackenzie leaving earlier by mutual agreement.[3]
For the remainder of 2018 Bridewell returned the team's best results in the Superbike class, scoring four podium finishes, narrowly missing out on a Showdown place and achieving the Riders' Cup at the season finale. Bridewell was retained from 2019 to 2022 with the same team under a new sponsor name.[4][5]
Prior to winning the 2023 British Superbike Championship, his best season-result was finishing second in the 2021 BSB series, behind winner Tarran Mackenzie.
Earlier in his racing career he had also been a runner-up in the Yamaha R6 Cup of 2005.[6]
Tommy is the younger brother of Ollie Bridewell, who was a prominent up-and-coming motorcycle racer when he died in 2007 during the Mallory Park round of the Superbike Championship.
Biography
Ollie's death
For the 2007 season, Tommy and his older brother Ollie joined forces for the British Superbike Championship in team NB Suzuki. Ollie died after crashing during a practice session at the Mallory Park round in 2007. He was pronounced dead at the scene.[7] Bridewell left the Championship at that round.
European Superstock 600
Bridewell restarted his racing career in Italy during 2008, moving on to the European Superstock 600 class in 2009, riding the Lorenzini Yamaha.[8] Bridewell started off with a 13th place in the first round at Valencia but would fail to score any more points finishes, and left the team mid-season.
Return to British Superbike Championship
2009
After departing the European scene, Bridewell returned to the British Superbike Championship during the 2009 season, competing in the Privateers' Cup on a Team NB Suzuki, winning the Cup class in 7 of the 26 races. Following this success, he was signed by Quay Garage Honda to compete in the main British Superbike Championship for the 2010 season.[9]
2010
Bridewell had a mixed start to the season, crashing twice in the first round at Brands Hatch Indy circuit, then failing to start the next round at Thruxton. He recovered from this to score a career best fourth-place finish during the fourth round at Cadwell Park.[10] Bridewell finished the season in 11th place on 105 points, his best finish in the Championship.
2011
For 2011 Bridewell remained with the Quay Garage team, rebranded under the Tyco Racing banner. His season started strongly with a podium in the first race at Brands Hatch Indy. However, he crashed heavily in practice at Thruxton, leading to the amputation of his little finger.[11] He took a fourth place in race 2 at Cadwell Park,[12] having injured himself in practice for the second round at Oulton Park, and never showed in the top 10 again. On the Wednesday before the Snetterton round, Bridewell and Tyco Honda parted company.[13] Bridewell was signed up to replace James Westmoreland at Motorpoint Yamaha for the last four rounds of the 2011 championship season.[14]
British Superbikes
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Bridewell rode with Shaun Muir Racing as a temporary replacement rider for part of 2013, followed by a full season in 2014. For 2015 he joined Tyco BMW.
2024
After winning the 2023 BSB championship, in late December 2023 Bridewell confirmed he would leave PBM racing to join Honda Racing UK, a factory supported team based in Louth, Lincolnshire, England which will run Honda Fireblades along with two other riders, Andrew Irwin and Dean Harrison.[15]
Endurance racing
Bridewell participated in the 2018 Suzuka 8 Hours solo motorcycle endurance race riding a Suzuki GSX-R1000R for Japanese team S-Pulse Dream Racing IAI. With two other riders, the team finished fourth.[16]
World Superbikes
2019
Bridewell was drafted in to replace injured rider Eugene Laverty on the Go Eleven Ducati in May 2019 for the races at Imola, Italy, on a similar bike to his BSB machine. He finished 12th in Race 1, scoring 4 World Championship points, and 11th in the sprint-distance Superpole Race, just outside of the points. Race 2 was cancelled due to heavy rain.[17] In late May, it was confirmed Bridewell would again replace Laverty, at the Jerez, Spain event in June,[18] when he again finished in the points from both full-length races.
2024
Bridewell was entered as a wildcard in the last round of the 2024 season at Jerez, Spain, on his BSB-based Honda Fireblade,[19] crashing in both full-length races,[20][21] and finishing the shorter Superpole event in 20th place.[22]
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